A method of forming an activated carbon sorbent from a seagrass. The method involves treating a seagrass with a base solution to form an intermediate solid, drying the intermediate solid to form a precursor, and pyrolyzing the precursor at 600 to 1000° C. to form the activated carbon sorbent. Preferably the seagrass is Halodule uninervis. The activated carbon sorbent is used in a method of removing an organic pollutant from a contaminated water. Preferred organic pollutants removed are phenols, specifically 2,4-dimethylphenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol.

An ionic conductor includes an inorganic oxychloride compound with a chemical composition of (Fe.sub.1-xM.sub.x)O.sub.1-y(OH).sub.yCl.sub.1-x where M is selected from at least one of Mg and Ca, and x is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.25, y is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.25. The inorganic oxychloride compound has a thermal decomposition start temperature of about 410° C. and x-ray diffraction peaks (2θ) between about 20.79° and about 22.79°, between about 30.03° and about 32.03°, between about 39.47° and about 41.47°, and between about 76.44° and about 78.44°.

The invention relates to active electrode materials and to methods for the manufacture of active electrode materials. Such materials are of interest as active electrode materials in lithium-ion or sodium-ion batteries. The invention provides an active electrode material expressed by the general formula [M][Nb].sub.y[O].sub.z; wherein the active electrode material is oxygen deficient; wherein M consists of one of Mg, Cr, W, Mo, Cu, Ga, Ge, Ca, K, Ni, Co, Al, Sn, Mn, Ce, Sb, Y, La, Hf, Ta, Zn, In, or Cd; y satisfies 0.5≤y≤49; and z satisfies 4≤z≤124.

Passivated Li.sub.7La.sub.3Zr.sub.2O.sub.12 (LLZO) particles, tape casting powders and slip compositions including the particles, methods of forming the particles, methods of tape casting using the particles, green tapes including the particles, cast LLZO films formed from the particles, and lithium batteries including the cast LLZO film. A passivated LLZO particle includes an LLZO core, wherein the LLZO is optionally doped with one or more elements. The passivated LLZO particle also includes a shell including H-LLZO, H.sub.3O.sup.+-LLZO, and/or Li.sub.2CO.sub.3.

Provided herein are methods and devices for production of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) which have high structural uniformity and low levels of impurities. The device includes, for example, a module for depositing catalyst on a substrate, a module for forming CNTs, a module for separating CNTs from the substrate, a module for collecting the CNTs and a module for continuously and sequentially advancing the substrate through the above modules. The method includes, for example, the steps of depositing catalyst on a moving substrate, forming carbon nanotubes on the substrate, separating carbon nanotubes from the substrate and collecting the carbon nanotubes from the surface, where the substrate moves sequentially through the depositing, forming, separating and collecting steps.

Disclosed is a method of decontamination by exposing a zirconium oxy(hydroxide) aerogel to a liquid, vapor, or gaseous sample suspected of containing a phosphonate compound. The aerogel may be doped with Fe.sup.3+ ions, Ce.sup.3+ ions, or SO.sub.4.sup.2− ions. The aerogel may be made by: providing a solution of ZrCl.sub.4; FeCl.sub.3, CeCl.sub.3, or Zr(SO.sub.4).sub.2; and a solvent; adding a cyclic ether to the solution to form a gel; infiltrating the gel with liquid carbon dioxide; applying a temperature and pressure to form supercritical fluid carbon dioxide; and removing the carbon dioxide for form an aerogel.

A ceramic membrane for oxidative coupling of methane can include a perovskite oxide and catalyst material on a surface of the membrane.

A method for relithiating cathode material from spent lithium-based batteries, the method comprising: (i) mixing delithiated cathode material and a lithium salt with an ionic liquid in which the lithium salt is at least partially soluble to form an initial mixture; (ii) heating the initial mixture to a temperature of 100° C. to 300° C. to result in relithiation of the delithiated cathode material; and (iii) separating the ionic liquid from the relithiated cathode material; wherein, in embodiments, the cathode material is a lithium metal oxide, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Fe, Mn, Al, Zr, Ti, Nb, and combinations thereof, or wherein the cathode material has the formula LiNi.sub.xMn.sub.yCo.sub.zO.sub.2, wherein x>0, y>0, z>0, and x+y+z=1; wherein, in some embodiments, the ionic liquid has a nitrogen-containing cationic portion, such as an imidazolium ionic liquid.

A positive electrode active material with little deterioration is provided. Positive electrode active material particles with little deterioration are provided. A power storage device with little deterioration is provided. A highly safe power storage device is provided. A novel power storage device is provided. A secondary battery includes a positive electrode and a negative electrode. In the secondary battery, the positive electrode includes a positive electrode active material; the positive electrode active material includes a crystal exhibiting a layered rock-salt crystal structure; the crystal is represented by the space group R-3m; the positive electrode active material is a particle containing lithium, cobalt, titanium, magnesium, and oxygen; the concentration of the magnesium in a surface portion of the particle is higher than the concentration of the magnesium in an inner portion of the particle; and in the positive electrode active material, the concentration of the titanium in the surface portion of the particle is higher than the concentration of the titanium in the inner portion of the particle.

The invention is directed towards dielectric materials, BaTiO.sub.3, BaZrO.sub.3, and/or BaTi.sub.1-.sub.xZr.sub.xO.sub.3, such that 0≤x≤1, for detecting, sensing, filtering, reacting, or absorbing toxic chemicals, such as chemical warfare agents (“CWAs”) and their structural analogs, toxic industrial chemicals and narcotics, wherein the dielectric material is incorporated into a sensor for detecting, sensing, filtering, reacting, or absorbing the toxic chemicals.